


Quiet Devastation

by Badwolf36



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Concussions, Gen, Hurt Jim, Hurt/Comfort, James T. Kirk Needs a Hug, Mugging, Protective Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:41:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25454068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badwolf36/pseuds/Badwolf36
Summary: Jim is sitting on the edge of the bed. He’s tossed his suit jacket up towards the top so that it can rest against the still comforter-covered pillows. His tie is helplessly wrinkled, along with his shirt. But all of those could have just come from a normal day.What couldn’t have is the bright red smear across his forehead, the thick crimson congealing and oozing across his hairline and the black and purple blooming across in cheek in a brilliant kaleidoscope.
Relationships: Gaila & James T. Kirk, James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	Quiet Devastation

**Author's Note:**

> Another story found among my unpublished archives. Not a lot of context here, more of a snapshot moment. Perhaps set during a press tour after the events of the first movie Hope you enjoy!

Leonard’s in the tiny closet that the hotel is passing off as a shower when the door clicks open and then shut again.

“That you, Jim?” he calls out as he soaps up his hair. He doesn’t hear a response, but that’s not exactly surprising considering that, while the place may not be the ritziest, it does have some of the best water pressure Leonard has ever had the pleasure to experience.

Finishing up his shower is the work of another couple of minutes. He pulls a towel off the rack as he steps out, scrubbing the excess water out of his hair before wrapping it around his hips. He pulls on the pair of socks he’d grabbed before stepping in; leaning back against the bathroom counter to do so. He’s perfectly willing to walk around with minimal clothes, but who knows what bacteria is lurking on those hotel carpets? He tries not to think too hard about the sheets.

That accomplished, he pads out into the main room. “Jim? How did it…Jim!”

Jim is sitting on the edge of the bed. He’s tossed his suit jacket up towards the top so that it can rest against the still comforter-covered pillows. His tie is helplessly wrinkled, along with his shirt. But all of those could have just come from a normal day.

What couldn’t have is the bright red smear across his forehead, the thick crimson congealing and oozing across his hairline and the black and purple blooming across in cheek in a brilliant kaleidoscope.

But even that isn’t what freezes Leonard for precious seconds. No, what stops Leonard is the look of quiet devastation in Jim’s wet blue eyes, which are gazing at some point in the middle distance that Leonard can’t see.

“Jim!” Leonard says again; the word allowing him to cross the room and stop at Jim’s side. He reaches out his hands for Jim’s face and Jim flinches away from him. “Jim.”

Jim puts his face into his hands and sobs move his shoulders in time to each gasping breath. Leonard sits down beside him, carefully drawing him into his arms. Jim switches his grip to Leonard’s chest, fingers sliding down the wet skin before sliding back up to hold onto his neck.

Leonard takes advantage of the position to examine the wound on Jim’s head, the skin split around a vaguely oval-shaped bruise.

“Who did this to you?” Leonard murmurs. “Jim, tell me who did this. We have to call the police. We need to get you to a hospital.”

“No,” Jim chokes out the word between sobs. “No.”

“Jim, please. What happened?”

“Attacked,” Jim gasps out and Leonard knows he’s only letting himself go now because he’s with Leonard and he’s told him on more than one occasion that Leonard is the only one he feels safe with. “Wrong place, wrong time.”

“Details,” Leonard encourages. He moves his hand up, traces along the edges of the bruises he can see on Jim’s jaw. Jim jerks in his arms and he pulls his hand away.

“Mugging. Dark out. Was with…with…Gaila. Jumped us. Knocked her out.”

“Jim, is Gaila okay? Is she still out there?” He tries to be calm and he knows better than to think that Jim would leave anyone behind, but Gaila is his friend too.

“Left her alone. Just the money. Just wanted the money. Gave it to them. Protected her. My head,” he whimpers.

“Sssh, sshh. Gaila, darling. What happened to Gaila?”

“Hospital. They hit me with the gun. Wham!” he shoves his arm out in a dramatic gesture. “Whap! Bam! Over and over! All black. Woke up. Gaila was out. Hospital. Got her to hospital. Fine, okay, good. Left. Tired. You.” He grips Leonard harder, clinging onto him. Leonard’s now convinced Jim has a concussion and the blood from his head wound seems to be seeping into even more of his dirty blond hair.

“That’s where you need to be, darling. I’m going to let you go so I can call an ambulance, okay?”

“No, no, no,” Jim whimpers. “Please, it hurts.”

Leonard feels unfamiliar tears prick at his eyes. “I know, darling, I know. I swear I’ll make it better. But you have to let me make a call. You can do that for me, can’t you? You’re my big, strong man, right?”

“Not strong,” Jim whispers, but he lets Leonard go. Leonard makes an awkward dive in his towel and gets his hand on his communicator before sitting back up.

Leonard then settles Jim down onto his side on the bed, letting him rest his head in Leonard’s lap.

“Yes, you are Jim,” he says as he dials the emergency line. “And one day I’m going to prove it to you. Just rest now.” He strokes his fingers through Jim’s hair, avoiding the smears of blood and Jim sighs and does just that.

**Author's Note:**

> No continuation plans here. Thanks for reading!


End file.
